Yellow Footed Tortoise

Also known as the Brazilian giant tortoise, these reptiles live in pockets throughout much of South America but are vulnerable to extinction. As adults, these tortoises make a raspy cooing sound.

Yellow-footed tortoises are a large species – fifth-largest overall and third-largest mainland species, after the Aldabra giant tortoise. Typical sizes average 15.75 in, but much larger specimens are common. The largest know specimen is a female that was 37 in long. They closely resemble the red-footed tortoise, and can sometimes be difficult to tell apart, especially as a preserved specimen, which led to quite a bit of confusion over the names and ranges. They are found in drier forest areas, grasslands, and the savanna, or rainforest belts adjoining more open habitats. The red-footed tortoise shares some of its range with the yellow-footed tortoise.

Conservation Status: Vulnerable

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Here are a few fun facts:

These tortoises make a sound like a baby cooing with a raspy voice.

Tortoises also identify each other using body language. The male tortoise makes head movements toward other males, but the female does not make these head movements.

In the wild, their diets consist of grasses, fallen fruit, carrion, plants, bones, mushrooms, excrement, and slow-moving invertebrates such as snails, worms, and others they are able to capture.